HR: 08:50h
AN: A21G-04    [Abstracts]
TI: Fast airborne formaldehyde measurements during the Texas Air Quality Study (TexAQS) in 2006
AU: * Richter, D
EM: dr@ucar.edu
AF: Earth Observing Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301, United States
AU: Walega, J G
EM: walega@ucar.edu
AF: Earth Observing Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301, United States
AU: Weibring, P
EM: weibring@ucar.edu
AF: Earth Observing Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301, United States
AU: Fried, A
EM: fried@ucar.edu
AF: Earth Observing Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, 3450 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO 80301, United States
AU: Trainer, M K
EM: Michael.K.Trainer@noaa.gov
AF: Chemical Sciences Division, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305, United States
AU: Ryerson, T B
EM: thomas.b.ryerson@noaa.gov
AF: Chemical Sciences Division, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305, United States
AB: Airborne, 1 second measurements of formaldehyde were performed using a tunable mid-IR difference frequency generation (DFG) laser spectrometer. The average detection limit (S/N=1) for all flights was 117-pptv (1 s) and 21- pptv (60 s), respectively. For most flights, the instrument was operated semi-autonomously with a duty cycle of 70% (60 s sample / 30 s background, including cell/inlet flushing) affording good spatial coverage and precision. The instrument worked with the quoted performance for over 94% of research flight time. Downwind plumes from power plants, the Houston shipping channel, and selected refineries have been intercepted and show a clear signature and correlation with ozone and NOy. We will present chemical processing signatures of formaldehyde and its critical role in governing the production of ozone in the greater Houston, TX area.
DE: 0365 Troposphere: composition and chemistry
DE: 0368 Troposphere: constituent transport and chemistry
DE: 0394 Instruments and techniques
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting